Déda chosen by Children & the Arts to be part of Start programme

Start creating opportunities in Derby

Déda in Derby has been chosen by leading arts education charity, Children & the Arts, to join its UK-wide Start arts programme.

Start, created by Children & the Arts, is a three-year engagement programme of arts activity between selected cultural organisations and local schools that tackles inequality by working only with the children who need it most, who are at risk of missing out on a creative and cultural education.

Start has been running nationally for 10 years and has involved over 130,000 young people aged 4-16 years old. The programme is proven to raise the aspirations of young people, building confidence and helping with learning and development in school.

During the first year, children will make at least two visits to Déda to see a visual arts exhibition and a performance by a professional dance company. Some of the children will visit the project delivery partner Artcore to see their own work mounted in their gallery and to see the work of professional artists.

They will then work with the learning teams from Déda and Artcore in workshops to develop their critical eye and have fun creating their own artistic work, with plenty of opportunity to celebrate their achievements throughout the year.

Start also provides teachers with training for them to deliver the arts programme, helping pupils realise their full potential and making links to the curriculum.

Jeremy Newton, Chief Executive of Children & the Arts, is proud of the fact that Start takes learning beyond the classroom, empowering children and young people in a fun and exciting environment:

"The Start programme helps the many children in the UK who are denied the opportunity to engage with the arts. Start shows that museums and galleries, theatres and concert halls, are places that will welcome them, places where they can experience and learn something new, and most of all, places that they can enjoy.

We know that Start has had a huge impact on children's confidence, their communication skills, and led to the personal development of thousands of children across the UK. We are delighted to be working with Déda to provide these opportunities for children in Derby."

Déda's Head of Dance Development and Learning, Clare Limb states "We are delighted at Déda to be a part of the Start national programme. This will enable us, and our project delivery partner Artcore to engage with targeted schools in Derby, enhancing the social mobility potential of children who take part in the project. We will be able to demonstrate the impact of this through a three year programme which involves seeing, doing and reflecting in and through the arts, framed by an Arts Award journey for each child."

Children & the Arts was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales with the fundamental belief that every child has the right to be inspired by the arts. The charity’s UK wide arts engagement programmes work with children from areas of social and economic disadvantage and builds partnerships between schools and children’s hospices, and local professional cultural venues. The charity takes children on a journey into their local arts venue and unlocks the arts for those who need to be inspired by them the most, raising children’s self-esteem and confidence, and nurturing their communication skills. Through the work of Children & the Arts, children learn that cultural venues are welcoming, accessible places to visit and since 2006 Children & the Arts has introduced over 400,000 children to life-changing arts experiences.